The suspect of killing 10-year-old Vera Zakharova (paragraph “c” of part 2 of article 105 of the RF Penal Code), who went missing on 8 September 2014 on her way from school, has been identified thanks to efficient and professional actions of the investigators and criminalists of the Amur Region Investigations Directorate of the Russia’s Investigative Committee, officers of the Main Criminalistics Department of the Russia’s Investigative Committee and thanks to use of the latest forensic equipment. He has been detained.
A team of 15 investigators and criminalists, and those of the central office of the Investigative Committee was set up to investigate the murder. They not only help in planning the investigation, but take part in investigative operations in person. The operational support is provided by operatives of the Amur Region Office of the Russian Ministry of the Interior.
The investigators have done a lot of work to find out the circumstances under which the girl went missing. Over 270 investigations of different facilities of communal and housing services, about 200 non-residential buildings, over 500 flats, houses and sheds have been conducted. Footage of CCTV cameras set on the way the girl took to walk from school to home was confiscated. About 3 thousand people have been questioned, including the witnesses who saw the girl that day. A lot of different inquiries have been assigned and run. Officers of the local investigations directorate, Amur Region Office of the Ministry of the Interior, Emergencies Ministry Amur Region Office, representatives of organizations, private security companies, officials of the administration, military, personnel of the fire station and volunteers searched the area the girl had been seen last in Belogorsk and its suburbs. Search dog units combed an area along the Kiryanikha river, streets, abandoned buildings and vacant lots in Amurselmash. Rescuers examined bodies of water in Belogorsk. Requests to find Vera were sent to other regions. Other investigative and search operations were carried out.
The criminalists studied cases over sexual abuse of minors committed in all districts of the region. Persons responsible for the crimes were checked on having been involved in this one. Information on the convicts of sex crimes who had been released from prisons were requested.
On 11 April 2015, child’s things that might belong to Vera Zakharova were found in the pond located 3 km to the southeast of Belogorsk. Fragmets of the girl’s body were found during the investigation of the site.
DNA tests of the traces seized from Vera’s clothes, things and fragments of her body have confirmed that the detainee was involved in the murder.
At present the investigators are looking into all the circumstances of the crime The investigation is ongoing.
Head of Media Relations V.I. Markin
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